RiSA CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi says sorry to media for trashy treatment, lack of access at 23rd South African Music Awards.

The South African Music Awards (Samas) apologised to media for the trash treatment behind-the-scenes of Saturday’s awards show broadcast on SABC1 that saw media not given demarcated red carpet positions, media bundled into a backroom to watch video with no sound and a litany of media access problems.

Media complained after organisers of the 23rd SAMAs only gave the SABC a proper red carpet position with dozens of accredited journalists deliberately kept away from the carpet and herded into an adjacent “media booth” away from celebrity arrivals.

Even Bonang Matheba and Kat Sinivasan covering the SAMAs for an E! Entertainment (DStv 124) red carpet special – the second time the channel from NBCUniversal International Networks did SAMA red carpet coverage – got shoddy treatment and battled to get proper access.

Media across the board were bundled into a cramped backroom with a TV screen showing the ceremony, but unlike viewers at home they got no audio, with several frustrated journalists remarking they could have gotten better access watching it from home.

Adding to the litany of logistical mismanagement and access problems not addressed by SAMA organisers and HM Entertainment, was a lack of food and a complimentary craft table. While covering the hours long award show, hungry journalists who had money had to forage to try and find something they could buy to eat.

Upset entertainment journalists from several media outlets openly grumbled and spoke about how they will limit coverage for the 24th SAMAs in 2018 and adjust their approach because of the shoddy treatment and lack of proper access and some even saying they will boycott next year’s ceremony.

“There were challenges we faced and we profusely and unreservedly apologise for the unpleasant experience some of you endured on Saturday night,” says Nhlanhla Sibisi, CEO of the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) in an email to media.

Hloni Modise, HM Entertainment managing director told media that “it is only fair that you received the correct treatment. Yes, everything was planned well and unfortunately when it came to execution things fell down the cracks, for that, I take full responsibility and I humbly apologise for that”.

RiSA and HM Entertainment said it will be doing a “media debriefing session” soon and is “going back to the drawing board” to prevent a recurrence and to relook press access and media management.

Katlegoe Maboe and Minnie Dlamini to present E! red carpet special from the South African Music Awards; will E! in its 2nd local try-out come to play ... or push?

Katlegoe Maboe and Minnie Dlamini will be the presenters for E! Entertainment's (DStv 124) second South African red carpet TV special, this time covering the upcoming 2016 South African Music Awards (Samas) on 4 June in Durban.

Meanwhile insiders are wondering whether E!'s next upcoming red carpet initiative in South Africa is going to be the same want-to-take-over and pushy behind-the-scenes bitch fest that was observed a few weeks ago.

The channel from NBCUniversal International Networks available on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and across Africa recently did its very first local red carpet coverage from its end of the carpet corner at the 10th South African Film and Television Awards in Johannesburg on 20 March.

Interestingly, TV critics, media and the usual "fashion police" press who were present behind the red rope, in the trenches with E!, and mostly used to everything, couldn't help but stare.

While Idols judge Somizi Mhlongo and entertainment reporter Nadia Neophytou were the Saftas' two official red carpet presenters from a modest square podium midway alongside the red carpet, E! basically looked as if it tried to take over with a massive head-end section hogging the end point and annexing the entrance where Bonang Matheba and Maps Maponyane were the E! Beyond the Red Carpet: Saftas presenters.

The visibly stressed and pushy behind-the scenes E! crew were observed being very rude and verbally aggressive (some complete with British accent) to several people on the red carpet and other members of the South African press situated alongside the red carpet as celebrities, TV executives and media made their way to the entrance.

E!'s OCD behaviour in and around its demarcated red carpet pen was in stark contrast to the other press and TV channels like the SABC, SABC News, ANN7, e.tv and others that also covered the event and exhibited the usual level and moments of friendly banter and helpful fraternising although they're competitors.

Ironically, the rude E! behaviour happened while the official Saftas presenters Somizi Mhlongo and Nadia Neophytou and crew actually had more stress since they were covering the Saftas as a recorded and delayed-live broadcast on SABC2.

The NBCUniversal International Networks production was recorded for playout not live but only for two days later on E! Entertainment. E! had the luxury of being able to edit - the official pre-show not so much.

Observers remarked that the overt aggressiveness and producers literally seen pushing people out of the way on the red carpet trying to "ensure" better side and background shots was probably because it was E!'s first time doing a South African red carpet and wanting to "quality control" as many aspects for the final visuals as possible.

South African press will now watch E! to see whether it comes to play or push again when Minnie Dlamini and Katlegoe Maboe present E!: Beyond the Red Carpet: SAMAs.

E!: Beyond the Red Carpet: SAMAs will be recorded on Saturday 4 June at the Durban International Convention Centre and will be broadcast 3 days later on E! Entertainment on 7 June at 20:00.

E! calls it an "exclusive red carpet ride" although its highly unlikely that the NBCUniversal International Networks channel will be the only actual TV channel there for red carpet coverage since red carpet visuals of the SAMAs the past few years have annually been shown on several South African channels.

E! says E! Beyond the Red Carpet: SAMAs will "take viewers into the heart of the red carpet action and beyond" with fans that can "look forward to fun interviews with South Africa's hottest A-listers and the rising stars of the local music scene, plus an exclusive sneak peek behind the scenes of this hotly anticipated awards ceremony".